Zero's Ardent Heart
by Leonas
Summary: Two fiery tempers spark a different kind of flame, and the world will never be the same as Louise receives not the hand of God. But the heart.


Kirche von Zerbst liked to rise with the sun. The sun was the ultimate symbol of fire, and Kirche had a deep connection to fire. It was only natural. However, over the last few months she was finding it harder and harder to keep up her morning routine. Through no fault of her own.

"Louise, dear, I really do have to get up," she told her pink haired limpet. Said limpet's response was to grumble something unintelligible and cuddle in closer. Which just happened to put the smaller girl's face deeper into her cleavage. Kirche couldn't keep the sigh from escaping her lips. However it wasn't a frustrated sigh. No matter how much she really did want to get up by now, she couldn't help but feel affection towards the other girl.

She was far too cute for anyone's good when she wasn't blowing up. Either magically or verbally.

How did she end up with such a cute and fiery lover? Truth be told, the details were fuzzy to her now. There was definitely an argument. Some simple jab or jibe struck an overly sensitive nerve and it all exploded out of proportion. At some point, very suddenly, there was kissing. Then more arguing. Then even MORE kissing and... well, one thing led to another and she found herself waking up the next morning in bed with her rival. Both of them were still clothed, though quite ruffled.

That morning had started more than a bit awkward, but after some soul-baring talks, and a dash of mutual compassion, they ended up... _together_. In secret, of course- if anyone found out they were sleeping together despite their intense rivalry the scandal would be huge. Especially since Louise had a betrothed already. Fortunately, what happened behind closed doors in the academy stayed there. They would likely part ways once they graduated anyway.

That was still a year or so off, but even after only six months of secretly dating Louise that seemed far too close. She gently ran her fingers through pink locks as she looked towards the curtained window. Even as blocked as it was she could see the sun starting to rise. Breakfast would be served soon, and after that, a very important step towards graduation.

She gently sighed again before leaning back a bit to give her lover a kiss on top of her head. "Come on, Louise. It's the day of the ceremony, we have to get ready. After all, you're suppose to summon the best familiar of all, right?" she teased gently.

Louise's only response was to tighten her cuddling and mumble "Don't wanna. Have you." Founder, the girl knew just how to make Kirche's heart flutter, didn't she. The redhead giggled then gently started to peel her lover off. "I know, but you're going to need more than me to graduate, Louise. Now come on, before anyone else wakes up and catches me sneaking out of your chamber."

That rewarded her with freedom as her smaller lover grumbled before rolling over in the bed. With an affectionate smile she leaned over and whispered "I love you." before kissing Louise on the cheek.

"I love you too."

With that Kirche got out of bed with a smile and a pep in her step as she gathered herself. Today was a big day, and it was shaping up to be a good one.

Kirche smiled to herself as she told the teacher that Louise still hadn't gone. The glare she received from the girl was half-hearted at best to those that knew her intimately. Just like the rest of the barbs they traded. The rest of their peers were easily fooled by the facade (with the possible exception of Tabitha, who she was pretty sure suspected the truth. Though if she did, the bluenette said nothing about it).

As Louise took her place at the summoning circle, Kirche silently prayed to the Founder. The poor girl had been through so much. She needed this. Just this once, she really, truly needed this to work. After all this was the summoning ceremony. Even Louise's strangely finicky magic couldn't screw this up. Right? She couldn't just... _not_ summon something…

...right?

Kirche's heart went out to the girl. In fact, it went out to her so far, that Kirche felt like she was standing next to Louise as the other girl went through her chant. However, before she could really consider the sensation, the courtyard exploded.

Kirche threw up her arms to try and protect herself from the blast. When that died down she found herself standing in a dust cloud. Her heart broke a little bit at the sight. Despair filled her. Was this it? Had Louise failed where failure should have been impossible?

Despair slowly became confusion as the dust parted, and she found herself standing IN FRONT of Louise and FACING the crowd she had been a part of not seconds before. She blinked once then looked down at her feet to find the summoning circle under them. Her eyes drifted back up to Louise. Both girls shared a look of shock until the pink haired mage smiled broadly and brightly.

"Pentagon of the five elements, please make my beloved my familiar." The incantation was barely above a whisper. It was something personal, something for the two of them alone. Something _intimate_. Louise reached out and Kirche leaned in. Louise's arms wrapped around Kirche's neck as Kirche rested her own hands on Louise's waist. Then their lips met in a soul searing kiss. There was no tongue or games of dominance. It was just a simple, chaste meeting of lips. Simple contact that allowed both participants to show exactly how they felt, allowed everything in the world to just melt away. Even as Kirche felt a searing pain in her chest. Even as their fellow students watched on. Even as their teacher coughed to gain their attention…

Oh.

Even though she knew she had to stop the kiss, she was slow to do so. How could anyone want to? However they DID have a facade to live up to. Even with the scene they just created, Kirche was sure they could still salvage the secrecy. Maybe claim that Louise was overcome with joy and aso wanted to show Kirche her new place. Something like that.

Such thoughts were quickly swept away when Louise looked back at their professor and said in a loud clear voice "Sorry Professor Colbert. I've been wanting to do that in public for a long time." That caused Kirche's mind to sputter a bit. Was Louise seriously going to let all their carefully molded pretense just fall away like that?

"I see." Colbert responded awkwardly. "However I really have to record the runes."

Louise nodded before moving to the side. As she did so her arms moved so that one of them wrapped around her waist from behind in a _very_ clear demonstration of possession. For Kirche's part she kept one arm around Louise's waist and used the other hand to move aside her shirt enough to reveal the runes that seemed to lay right where her heart sat.

It took the older man only a few minutes before he was satisfied that he had the whole thing. Finally he turned to the rest of the class and called "Class is dismissed. You have the rest of the day off in order to bond with your new familiars. Enjoy it." Then he just _walked away_. How could the man be so _calm?_

That line of thought, as well as the oncoming tide of questions, was halted as Kirche felt her lover pull away from her. However before she could even begin to miss the closeness, she felt her hand get grabbed and her fingers entwined with another's. Another clear sign of affection from the biggest prude in the school.

"Come on, Kirche," Louise said with a smile on her face, "I want you moved into my room before the day is over." She then smiled at Kirche's own familiar. "I already have a place for your salamander to sleep too."

That caused Kirche's lip to twitch upward. "You mean that pile of _hay?_ You want my beautiful, fiery-tailed Flame to sleep on a pile of _hay_."

That stopped the smaller girl in her tracks. For all of a second before they were moving towards the academy again. "Sure, they can stop themselves from setting it ablaze right?"

She couldn't stop the giggles from bubbling up. Giggles that erupted into a full-on belly laugh as Louise POUTED up at her.

Founder, she loved this girl.


End file.
